Down-hole drilling operations commonly require filter screens to restrain flow of sand and particulates existing in the well environment from entering pipe openings. In a common application, filter screens are provided exterior of a base pipe, creating an annular opening between the screen and the pipe interior of the filtering screen (referred to herein as a screen-pipe annulus). In such applications, it is often desirable to provide fluid communication between pipe-screen annuli of adjacent pipe sections.
Fluid communication between adjacent screen-pipe annuli facilitates gravel packing operations by providing a flow path between adjacent gravel pack zones. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,996 to Hardin. Fluid communication between adjacent annuli allows slurry fluids in the annuli of adjacent pipe sections to flow to a port provided in one or more of multiple pipe sections. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,800 to Walker, et al.
Exemplary prior art fluid communication devices to control flow between annular sections of adjacent pipe are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,996 to Hardin, U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,800 to Walker, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,200 to Bryant, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,251 to Rebardi, et al.